Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl

Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl

Ketupa nipalensis

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
at Kaziranga National Park
1 Verified sightings at Kaziranga National Park From 2019 to 2026
799 Verified sightings across all 21 parks From 2019 to 2026
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted at dawn and dusk

About the Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl

The spot-bellied eagle-owl (Ketupa nipalensis), also known as the forest eagle-owl, is a large bird of prey with a formidable appearance. It is a forest-inhabiting species found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. This species is considered part of a superspecies with the barred eagle-owl (Ketupa sumatrana), which looks quite similar but is allopatric in distribution.

The spot-bellied eagle-owl, like its close relative, the barred eagle-owl, is one of the species that would have to be moved into Ketupa if that genus is to be retained, according to mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data (Olsen et al. 2002). Unlike the "fish owls" that were also considered to be included in Ketupa, the barred and the spot-bellied species are not closely tied to riparian habitats and piscivorous eating habits. However, all eagle-owls and fish owls (as well as the snowy owl (Bubo scandianus)) were at one point deemed insufficiently distinct to warrant separate genera and until fairly recently authors generally treat all within the genus Bubo. Due to its forest-dwelling habits and some superficial characteristics, it has been wondered by some authors if the spot-bellied eagle-owl is... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Kaziranga National Park

Brown Fish-Owl
LC

Brown Fish-Owl

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Ketupa zeylonensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Asian Barred Owlet
LC

Asian Barred Owlet

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Glaucidium cuculoides

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Spotted Owlet
LC

Spotted Owlet

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Athene brama

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Brown Boobook
LC

Brown Boobook

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Ninox scutulata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Oriental Scops Owl
LC

Oriental Scops Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Otus sunia

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Collared Owlet
LC

Collared Owlet

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Glaucidium brodiei

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Collared Scops Owl
LC

Collared Scops Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Otus lettia

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Brown Wood Owl
LC

Brown Wood Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Strix leptogrammica

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Eastern Barn Owl

Eastern Barn Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Tyto javanica

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Mudumalai National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
2 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
3 Minneriya National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~10%
4 Cuc Phuong National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~10%
5 Sinharaja Forest Reserve 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
6 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
<5%
7 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
8 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
9 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
10 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
11 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
12 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
<5%
13 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
14 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
15 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
16 Eravikulam National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
17 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
Insufficient data
18 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
Insufficient data
19 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
20 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
Insufficient data
21 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
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